Hey guys, I have seen Virgin requirements, just wondering if anyone has got in with heavy turboprop time not sure if that counts as the website does say jet, but I did hear a rumour.

Cheers Again

I know of plenty of guys from the RAF C130 Fleet now flying for Virgin if that answers the question?

Dont they look at military time differently though?????

Aussie

Volume one can be located Here. It has a wealth of information on this company and an inordinate amount of time and effort has been made by scroggs in replying to the many questions posed. As the thread is now becoming something of a weighty tome, and to avoid the risk of losing of any part of it, it is now being continued here.

Chances getting into Virgin Atlantic with a 757 rating??

Heard Airbus was the prefered....

You heard wrong! Harrier is the prefered type after that any fast jet after that any other type.

well unless the charters replace their 75's with harriers... then I'm stuffed.

Recruiting is currently suspended, so the question is moot. My own experience suggests that very few TP drivers have been recruited by Virgin unless they also have jet time. The C130 is slightly different - there aren't that many civil turboprops around of that size. Yes, I know you can quote me the L188, An12, Belfast and others, but pilots of these types aren't thick on the ground!

Virgin, like most airlines, respects the training and experience of military pilots highly, but being an ex-FJ mate is no passport to a job. Plenty have been rejected...

I know that it is an unanswerable question Scroggs, but: Do you have any idea when (or even if) recruiting might be starting again?

I know that Virgin are very cautious with regard to over-recruiting in the event of any sort of downturn, but do you think that this is their reasoning this time?

They've stopped recruiting due to the delays of the A380.

Ys, Easy, I am aware that this might be a problem.

However, they weren't recruiting specifically for this aircraft as yet, so I still wonder if their other expansion plans will mean a return to recruiting soon (ish)?

Recruiting has stopped for the moment because we have enough pilots for now. The A380 wasn't due till Q1 2009; we were hardly recruiting that far ahead! You may not have noticed, but we're in the middle of a delivery programme of 25 A340-600s. As I understand it, the manning level has got a bit ahead of the requirement and so the taps have been turned off. However, 4 more A346s are due next year with no aircraft retirements, so there is likely to be some recruiting next year. I would imagine that it won't be on the scale of the past 2 years though.

Bugger....

Welcome to the club!

Hi guys,

Slightly off topic....

I've seen (we've all seen them here on pprune) adds for Virgin Nigeria, recruiting for B737 and A340.

On a different forum it is being speculated that after joining Virgin Nigeria you would later be able to transfer to Virgin Atlantic. (thought I can see it happening).

Any truth to these speculations?, anyone?, Scroggs perhaps.....

Best regards, Life boat.

As far as I am aware, there is no mechanism that gives Virgin Nigeria pilots a greater chance of employment by Virgin Atlantic than those from any other company, though there may be access to training records etc. which may make things a little easier. I'm not aware of any VK pilots that have made the move to VS - though that doesn't mean it hasn't happened! I have heard that there has been a number of VK FOs that have jumped ship to Far Eastern A340 operators on completion of training, but I can't attest to the truth of this.

Warning: absolute rumour alert!

Chatting to a VS capt in T1 couple of weeks ago and he waunder the impression that the company would be laying off up to 40 pilots. Anyone shed any light?

Ham Phisted

Hope not. i join VS one week from now.......

Complete bolleaux.

thanks scroggs

having recently joined and having heard a lot of these rumours circulating, it nice to hear someone say that it may not always be wise to believe all the rumours